Celexa and Benzo combo - experiences please

[alovinmama]

I am a new poster to this forum but have been reading many many posts. I posted a few days ago about being in 4th week and a new side effect. This post stems from that but is much more specific so I needed a new thread (hope that's ok).

A bit of background. 5 weeks ago I was doing just fine and all of a sudden hit a wall of anxiety - couldn't eat, sleep, shaky, dizzy, etc. Depression followed. With three kids, the youngest being 4 mths old, not sure if it's ppd/ppa or just an acute bout, but either way treatment was necessary. Dr started me on 10'mg of celexa along with Klonopin (benzo) to help immediately while I wait for celexa to do its job. Dr reassured me this was a common start-up combo and so in desperate need of help, I started it. A week later I was at 20mg celexa. Week three I started to feel like I was getting my life back - definitely not 100 percent but on the way. Just as week 4 approached, my dr was pleased with progress and advised to cut my Klonopin useage in half (was taking 0.5 every morning) and after 5-6 days at .25 to stop Klonopin completely. The first couple days of this reduced
Klonopin dosage were ok but then the third day my anxiety amped way up. I had a panic attack, was completely scarEd, etc. At first I thought it was withdrawal from Klonopin but my dr assured memit wasn't given the low dosage i had been taking and only for four weeks. My heightened anxiety continued so I went to see her the next day. She decided perhaps we were to quick to come off Klonopin and to also increase to 30mg of celexa to ensure we hit the anxiety. So I've went back to taking 0.5 Klonopin in the mornings and am on my 2nd day of 30mg. I have some concerns and would be so grateful for reassurance.

I am not comfortable prolonging the Klonopin usage because I have read so many horror stories about addiction and withdrawal with Klonopin. How will I know it's the celexa working and not the Klonopin? I was feeling so optimistic last week that the celexa was working because I had so many good days but as soon as I stopped the Klonopin it was all bad. So was it really the Klonopin and not the celexa all along?

My questions to you:

Did you use a benzo while starting the ssri?

If yes, for how long did you use the benzo?

How do you know the celexa is doing the job and its not the benzo?

How was coming off the benzo?

Any other advice/input in this regard?

I am so anxious about the Klonopin but with 3 kiddos I feel like I need it to cut the anxiety while I hope and pray for the celexa to do its thing.

I'm so sorry for the long and rambling post. This is all so new to me. I've never suffered in such a way nor have I taken more than a Tylenol, and i am a tad lost...

[pinkdove]

Yes i had diazapam when starting citalopram. And used it at lest once a day, as the citalopram kicked in i needed less diazapam, and now i hardly use it at all, as far as i know it is quite common to use both at first to help with the side effects, but don't be in a rush, take it easy it takes time, so i knew cit was doing the job, when i needed less diazapam, and i was fine coming off it as i only used it when require. Hope this helps x

[alovinmama]

Thanks so much for your reply pinkdove! I welcome and appreciate the support.

You said that you dropped the benzo as you noticed the celexa working. Now my question is, how did you know the celexa was working while taking a benzo? I have this irrational fear that the "goodness" I felt the past few weeks before tapering my benzo, was not the celexa kicking in but actually the benzo all along. It is bothering me so much and I am so anxious about it. I want to believe the celexa is doing it's job and I don't want to be on the benzo too long because I am so so scared of withdrawal. I do appreciate your reassurance.

I just called my dr this morning for further reassurance. She said to keep on with the klonopin especially since we just upped from 20 to 30, and she said that we'll worry about tapering the benzo later, and the fact that I am worried about benzo addiction makes it unlikely I will be. She also reassured me that 0.5 once a day is a very low dose. (maybe this will help someone else feeling the same way?).

I just want my life back. Just what has happened ...?

[nicola1980]

Ive got the same fear of using diazepam, ive had a rough 10 wks starting citalopram and hate using diazepam, i upped from 20 to 30 last wk and really struggling past 2 days with heightened anxiety and the fear of a panic auack and reluctant to use diaz incase i get withdrawal from them and no matter how many times doc reassures me im petrified of being reliant on them :-( x x

[alovinmama]

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply nicola. I'm sorry to hear you have been struggling for the past two days. Hoping it improves for you very soon. Must be due to the increase. I also went from 20 to 30 (two days ago) and today I am feeling heightened anxiety. It sucks.

So you started celexa 10 weeks ago? Have you noticed improvement at all? Have you had your benzo every day for the past 10 weeks or is it just a once in a while sort of thing? I have taken my benzo every single day since starting the celexa just over 4 weeks ago. 0.5 of klonopin every morning.

I'm trying to tell myself to just go with it and trust that it'll work. It's so hard because I over-analyze everything anyway, and I am doing it 10 fold with this newfound stuff. It's tough for sure.

Here's to better days for all of us.

[nicola1980]

Hi yeah ive noticed improvement and was doing loads better until this blip, ive used diaz most days, somedays ive only needed 1 others 3?? I really was at rock bottom when i started cit so doc is insistent i use the diaz to help me as he knows i don't abuse them as sometimes my hubby or mum have to literally force them down me as im so scared of addiction, doc said if i was addicted id need more and more and i don't but it still scares me but have to trust my doc, good luck xx